SpidersWeb wrote:down to $750 for a likely non-working unitcan still get one tested and delivered for less although I wont pester the seller, let him do his thing to make sure he gets the most he can.

(although the 'intels first CPU and '80186' lines do bug me, I am resisting)

Yes, buyers have a right to put these machines on the market for whatever they like. We also have the right to snicker at them and roll our eyes. However, someone might be looking for just that unit and be prepared to take it whatever the price. Also some buyers may not be in a hurry to sell, and they can keep it on the market for some time. Up to them.

The Compaq protable is collectable. I think it was the first 16-bit luggable, even before IBM. However at $750 and non-working, the price is too high to tempt me.

Yes, regarding the details about the CPU, I've been doing my best not to make comment, pleased to see others are sitting on their fingers too, it seems such an inviting target!. The first time it was listed there were comments about two other machines that started the portable market before it (osborne being the name I remember). I would suspect the advert meant to say the first 'Compaq portable' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compaq_Portable). But as hinted, the most intersting part about the advert is the 80186, all the literature I've found so far says it should be an 8086 or 80286! However if it is, it's likely not an Intel part at all, but the more common NEC V20 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEC_V20). I've seen the i80186 in various add in cards, and know of its use as the BBC Master 512 second processor CPU - coincidentally it is the processor emulated in the original PC compatibility software for the Archimedes range, but until I checked wikipedia I didn't know it had managed to be at the heart of 'real' computer hardware. If it is, this may just be a very collectable item. Since the seller has access to the internet, I'd advise a bit more research on his part to flesh out the advert and get the facts right to justify the price. However, if a dead poly is worth $1200, the computer that started a successful and well known industry leading company must easily be worth $750 ;o)

recycled wrote:Since the seller has access to the internet, I'd advise a bit more research on his part to flesh out the advert and get the facts right to justify the price.

Yes, with words like "first portable computer" and "worlds first Intel CPU" he certainly HASN'T got the facts right. Even the reference website is misspelt.

I'm pretty sure the chip is the Intel 8088, same as the IBM 5150.

It's good policy to get the facts right. Whenever I see a writeup like that, it tells me the seller is not a vintage computer collector selling some of his (or her) gear. It's someone who has somehow come into ownership of the machine. This means the goods are more of an unknown, and I factor this into the price I might want to pay.

Questions and answersAsk the seller a questionQ ok. I can't stand it anymore It's not an 80186, nor is it intel's first chip. It's a 4.77MHz 8088, same as the original IBM PC. Intel's first chip was the 4004. Their first popular CPU was the 8-bit 8080 from which derived the intended successor, the 16 bit 8086. From the 8086 was derived the cheaper 8088 with a multiplexed bus, then consolidated some motherboard chips into the package (the 80186), and subsequent advances in the 80286, 80386, 80486 etc. dsakey (170 ) 12:10 pm, Tue 18 DecQ Also, from the picture, the machine appears to have a hard disk and it's unlikely to have been wiped. Even with a wiped hard disk, at minimum you would see a flashing cursor, so I'm afraid the lack of action is unlikely to be because you have no software. The machine will need fixing, which is why you're getting no bids at $700. Come and talk to some vintage enthusiasts at classic-computers DOT org DOT nz SLASH forums dsakey (170 ) 12:32 pm, Tue 18 DecAHi Daskey, My info came from searching Google. And a note inside the computer which stated what I wrote down, I can not take the thing apart in order to find out what kind of chips it has. 10:32 am, Wed 19 DecQ Yeah... I don't think so. Pretty much everything out there says Intel 8088 at 4.77MHz... INCLUDING the page you list in your ad. dsakey (170 ) 12:37 am, Thu 20 Dec

Well, I tried to be nice about it, but I find that answer evasive. Definitely caveat emptor.

It does annoy me when people try to weasel out of saying "it's not going" like that. When people get given (multiple reference-able) correct information and still try to weasel, then it starts to smell like someone trying to deceive. And this guy's sold a fair bit of vintage gear and has already been dodgy with the "IBM/360"

You're correct however... I don't think he cares. However, it's useful to let him know that the vintage community are not idiots and a more accurate ad is likely to generate more interest.

Even I'd be interested in it if it was going (Or at least had a better description) but I'm certainly not going to pay $700 for an unknown... and given his demonstrated behaviour, any transaction would be in person.

Last edited by Gibsaw on Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:14 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Trademe, where you may find 1 or 2 (max) collectable vintage computers at a time (the rest is dumpster trash) and,at least Tezza,SpidersWeb,recycled,matsondawson,gibsaw and the rest trolling it Sick, I tell you, Sick

When simons are listed for $500 and broken luggables for $700 and keyboards for over a hundy, E-bay is starting to look real tempting,

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It could have an NEC V20 - which would give it 80186 instructions, but yeah probably just a stock 8088.Whoever wrote the note probably got told 'its the one before the 286' and just wrote 186.

Yeah his last few previous vintage computer trades you'll notice the items weren't quite as described, and I'd agree it's quite likely he's purposely trying to stay on the 'possibly working' side rather than 'its broken' - hopefully any future bidders realise this.

The funny thing with trademe feedback is that if you look at his, many of the recent ones should have been neutral but people select positive - I'm guessing out of concern the seller would turn around and post negative on theirs. I think Trademe should wait until both parties have submitted (or timed out) before publishing the results.

I've thankfully only had to post bad feedback once, paid for a 386 laptop that never arrived and the emails magically stopped after payment.

lol EmulatorCoder, I'm on ebay too but just bought a house so have been a good boy recently.nod10 is another one who has started popping up a lot, he just bought my spare 5160 XT and a few clones recently.

Last edited by SpidersWeb on Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.